Can babies be given over the counter drugs for cough and cold?

Can babies be given over the counter drugs for cough and cold?

It is advised to consult the baby’s doctor/paediatrician before giving over the counter drugs to the baby as the doses of these drugs depend on the body weight, and hence cannot be generalized to all babies. Too small doses will be ineffective, and higher doses can cause harmful side effects, and possibility of drug toxicity. Most governing bodies in Paediatrics including American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) advises against giving OTC cough and cold medicines which includes decongestants and cough suppressants to children younger than 6 years old.